The Top Sending Regions of Immigrants in Australia, Canada, and the United States

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The Top Sending Regions of Immigrants in Australia, Canada, and the United States

Australia, Canada, and the United States often are described as traditional countries of immigration, as historically each encouraged immigration for permanent settlement on a significant scale that was essential for the countries’ founding and development. All three have experienced successive waves of immigration over the past few centuries, and each wave has been characterized by a different predominant country or region of origin (Click here to compare historical immigration trends in Australia, Canada, and United States). The below charts provide a quick overview of the top origins of immigrants in the three countries, as drawn from the latest population data.

Foreign-Born Population by Region of Birth in Australia, 2006

Total foreign born: 4,416,000Share of total population: 22%

Australia

About 4.4 million foreign-born persons resided in Australia as of the country’s 2006 Population and Housing Census. They accounted for 22.2 percent of the total country population of 19.9 million. The foreign-born share did not change between 2001 and 2006.

Almost half of all immigrants in Australia came from Europe, predominantly from the United Kingdom. Other European countries such as Italy, Greece, and Germany also are ranked in the top ten largest source countries of immigration.

Even though the share of Europeans in the total immigrant population in Australia dropped slightly (from 51 percent in 2001 to 47 percent in 2006), Europe retained its status as the main sending region of immigrants to Australia.

Almost one-third of all immigrants in Australia hailed from Asia. China (excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan), Vietnam, India, and the Philippines were among the largest sending countries from Asia.

Compared to Canada and the United States, Australia had the highest percentage of immigrants from Oceania (11.2 percent), who arrived mostly from New Zealand.

Foreign-Born Population by Region of Birth in Canada, 2006

Total foreign born: 6,187,000Share of total population: 20%

Canada

About 6.2 million foreign-born persons resided in Canada, according to the 2006 Canadian Census of Population. They accounted for 19.8 percent of the total country population of 31.2 million (compared to 18.4 percent in 2001).

Whereas Europe was the main sending region of immigrants to Canada in 2001, by 2006 Asia surpassed Europe as the primary region of birth for immigrants. The largest group of immigrants (40.8 percent) in Canada in 2006 was from Asia; China (excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan), India, the Philippines, Hong Kong, and Vietnam were among the ten largest source countries.

Over one-third of all immigrants (36.8 percent) in Canada were born in Europe. United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, and Poland, were among the ten largest source countries.

Compared with Australia and the United States, Canada had the highest percentage of immigrants from Africa (6.1 percent), including those born in Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, and Algeria.

Foreign-Born Population by Region of Birth in the United States, 2010

Total foreign born: 39,956,000Share of total population: 13%

United States

Almost 40 million foreign-born persons resided in the United States, according to the US Census Bureau’s 2010 American Community Survey. They accounted for 12.9 percent of the total country population of 309.3 million (compared to 12.5 percent in 2006 and 11.1 percent in 2000).

Over half of all immigrants in the United States were from the Americas, predominantly from Mexico. Also among the top ten largest source countries were El Salvador, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Guatemala.

Over one-fourth of all immigrants in the United States were from Asia. India, the Philippines, China (excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan), Vietnam, and South Korea were among the largest sending countries.

Only one in eight immigrants in the United States were born in Europe. No European country was among the top ten sending countries in 2010. The United Kingdom, Germany, and Poland were the primary European source countries.

Compared with Australia and Canada, the United States' immigrant population was mostly (55.1 percent) from other countries in the Americas. Only 4.1 percent of immigrants in Australia and 15.4 percent of those in Canada came from the Americas.

The Foreign Born in Australia, Canada, and the United States by Region of Birth

About Data Hub

The Data Hub showcases the most current national and state-level demographic, social, and economic facts about immigrants to the U.S.; as well as stock, flow, citizenship, net migration, and historical data for countries in Europe, North America, and Oceania.

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Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United StatesThe U.S. immigrant population — estimated at 40.4 million in 2011 — is the nation's historical numeric high, and it is also the largest in the world. About 20 percent of all international migrants reside in the United States, even as the country accounts for less than 5 percent of the world's population. Find out more top statistics on immigrants and immigration in the United States in this article which presents the latest, most interesting data in one easy-to-use resource.

Immigration: Data MattersThis pocket guide compiles some of the most credible, accessible, and user-friendly government and non-governmental data sources pertaining to U.S. and international migration. The guide also includes additional links to relevant organizations, programs, research, and deliverables, along with a glossary of frequently used immigration terms

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Jeanne Batalova is a Senior Policy Analyst at MPI and Manager of the MPI Data Hub.
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